126 DISCOVERY BY PALLISER AND HECT9R [Feb. U, 1859. 



show that on the development of the country which lies between Lake Win- 

 nipeg and the Rocky Mountains the future greatness of British North America 

 almost exclusively depends, then we shall be able to realise the full importance 

 of these discoveries. We have in British territory two of the greatest harbours 

 in the world, — on the Atlantic shore the harbour of Halifax in Nova Scotia, 

 and on the Pacific shore that of Esquimault in Vancouver Island. I cannot 

 resist expressing a hope that at no distant day we shall see these two con- 

 nected ; and then it will be that the importance of this discovery will come 

 into play. And now, if you will allow me, one word about this corner of the 

 country which has been alhided to by Mr. Ball. He intimated that in the 

 hauteur des terres separating the waters running towards Hudson and James 

 Bay, and the waters running towards Lake Sui)erior, lay the greatest difficulty 

 which had been as yet encountered. I suppose that the gentlemen present 

 know that for the last two years the Canadian Government, as well as the 

 Home Government, has had an exploring party between Lake Superior and 

 the Red River. I have seen the result of their explorations, and I do not think 

 there exists such an insuperable objection to the formation of a land road as he 

 supposes. I have myself been over that height of land, and the greatest 

 obstacle is a swamp called the Savanne. In that swamp, in the space of three- 

 quarters of a mile, there is a fall of thirty-one feet. Except in isolated places, 

 that swamp is nowhere more than three or four feet deep ; and at the bottom 

 you get a strong clay. I venture to say, on the authority of greater men than 

 myself, that it is one of the easiest parts to form a road. An American would 

 cut down the brushwood and pile it on the top of the swamp, then cut down 

 a few trees and pile them on the top of the brushwood, and that would form a 

 temporary road ; and when a better road was wanted it could easily be made 

 on the top of the substratum thus laid. With respect to the remainder of the 

 country between Lake Superior and Red River, I think no great difficulty 

 exists, I am one of what would in old times be called a company of adven- 

 turers who have contracted with the Canadian Government to carry their mails 

 from Canada to the Red River. We do that, with our present small means 

 and inefficient organisation, twice a-month without difficulty. That fact is a 

 sufficient argument to the objection that the Savanne swamp is an insuperable 

 obstacle to road-making. With respect to the value and extent of the culti- 

 vable land between Lake Winnipeg and the Rocky Mountains, Mr. Blogget, 

 the distinguished American climatologist, estimates that it contains altogether 

 about 500,000 square miles fully adapted for the operations of agriculture in 

 every way. Assuming that estimate to be correct, about 437,000 square miles, 

 or more than 717 millions of acres, would be in the British territory. Although 

 but a small part of the territory of North America, it would be enough to 

 support all Great Britain and her dependencies. W'e know that the buffalo 

 can winter on the Upper Athabasca just as easily as they can in Minnesota. 

 We know, too, that on the two branches of the Saskatchewan all the grain 

 grown in temperate latitudes can be easily raised. Just south of the boundary- 

 line the great equestrian tribes of the Indians winter their horses, and it is 

 not to be supposed that that boundary, a mere astronomical line, separates 

 the fertile regions of the United States from a sterile region beyond. Experi- 

 ence has proved that that is not fact. Buffalo and wild cattle can live perfectly 

 well there ; and wherever grain is tried it has succeeded almost beyond the 

 hopes of those who have undertaken it. The want of a market has been the 

 great thing which has stopped them. 



The noble Lord then entered at some length into the climatology of the 

 territory in question, to show that it was highly favourable for colonisation as 

 far north as Lake Athabasca and Peace River, and even in some places on the 

 Mackenzie River as high as 60° N. latitude. 



The President. — I again congratulate the Society upon the value of the 



